Summer Nights
by Jameson Rook
Summary: In which the gang takes a vaction to the Hamptons, the boys are serious, and apparently grilling is a science that Esposito isn't willing to learn. Shameless fluff. Caskett/Esplanie/Ryan


_**Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe, Terri Edda Miller, and ABC Studio Productions. "Summer Nights" belongs to Rascal Flatts.**_

_** So, I've noticed lately that I haven't really been writing anything 'show like'. I've been writing a lot of AU/sci-fi/out of character crap recently, so I'm going to try really hard to get into character for this one, and keep it more show-like, though it will probably be closer to an "extra scene" than a case fic. That being said, I'm not sure where this will end up, I just go where my mind leads me, so bear with me here. Onward to the fic!**_

**"Well, the sunset better set soon**

**So we can get in the mood.**

**Things start getting all heated up**

**When it starts getting cool, yeah.**

**Summer nights, everybody, are you with me? **

**Let that Igloo cooler mark your piece of paradise.**

**Summer nights, everybody's feeling sexy.**

**Holler if you're ready for some summer nights."**

**-"Summer Nights" Rascal Flatts**

__"I don't know what they're talking about. All I know is that they've been talking for the past half hour. They look pretty serious."

"Yeah. I don't think that I've ever seen Castle that straight faced in my life."

"He has his moments of seriousness, but they are few and far between."

"What do you guys think they're talking about?" Alexis whispered, looking over at Kate and Lanie. They had been lounging by the pool at Castle's Hamptons house for the better part of that day, but the men had been standing around the grill, their faces never breaking from the stoic look of concentration for the past half hour. Even Castle had remained completely serious.

"I'm not sure. It's always so hard to tell with them, but it's usually something completely ridiculous." Kate muttered, looking back down at the book in her hands.

"This is very true." Alexis chuckled. It had been Rick and Kate's idea for them all to spend the weekend in the Hamptons. Alexis and Kevin had started dating nearly six months prior to their little trip, and Rick had just started to become comfortable with the idea of them together. He figured that a weekend of bonding for all of them would be good to wipe the slate clean.

Javier and Lanie had finally come to their senses and gotten back together after a few months of dancing around the elephant in the room that their relationship had become. They were finally in a spot that they felt comfortable with each other again.

Then of course, there was Rick and Kate. The two of them had been inseperable since the night she'd shown up, rain drenched, and declared that she wanted him and no one else. That he was her one and done. They were sickeningly happy together, but no one could blame them. Their relationship had been four years in the making.

Across the patio, the men were still intently staring at the grill, and the women decided that it was about time that they figured out exactly what they were talking about. They crossed over to them covertly, trying to pick up pieces of the conversation. Castle's deep, resonating voice was the first one that they heard.

"You gotta get underneath it. Don't let it stick to the grill or it's going to burn."

"Did you spray it with some nonstick spray?" Ryan asked, taking a long drink from his beer.

"Would you two just let me do this? I think I got it covered." Esposito grumbled, flipping the hamburgers. The men were silent for a few seconds.

"Did you make sure that you set it down so that it will get parallel grill marks?" Castle questioned.

"Is that really a necassary step?" Esposito replied.

"Well, yeah. I mean, unless you want to eat unparallel burgers." Ryan stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh my God. You guys are actually discussing grilling methods over here." Alexis laughed, wrapping her arms around Kevin's waist.

"Of course we are. You don't think that stereotype came from someone's mind, do you? No, it's a real thing. We really do this." Kevin smirked, leaning down and placing a kiss to the top of Alexis' head.

"You guys looked so serious, we were worried you were going to pull a muscle thinking that hard." Kate teased, leaning into Rick's side. He gave her his signature 'scowl' that was hiding a smirk.

"You're hilarious." He said sarcastically. "No, we were discussing grilling technique because Esposito apparently doesn't know about making parallel grill lines. It's a science, and he is unwilling to learn." Rick deadpanned, his face completely serious. Kate laughed openly, the sound bringing a grin to Rick's face. He pressed a light kiss to her upturned lips, grinning against them and threading his fingers through her hair to keep her close. "I'm glad that you decided to come up here this weekend." He whispered into the curls of her hair when they finally pulled apart.

She hooked her arm around his and led him away from the group, walking up to the deck that wrapped around the house. They overlooked the sparkling water, the setting sun reflecting off of it beautifully.

"I love you." She smiled, her hand cupping his cheek. Rick gave her the shy smile that she had come to love. The one that he reserved just for her.

"I love you too, Kate. More than you even know."

"Hey! You two better get back over here, Ryan and Esposito are going to kill each other over the 'best way to cook a bratwurst' if someone doesn't interject." Lanie called, waving them back over. The two of them chuckled and walked back over to the grill where Ryan and Esposito were heatedly bickering over whether a bratwurst should be cooked on the top or bottom rack.

"Would you two settle down? If you don't pay attention and quit arguing you're going to burn the damned things anyway." Rick grumbled, smacking both of the men in the shoulder. Ryan pulled and shrug and lifted Alexis over his shoulder, a squeal of protest bubbling from her throat.

He grinned as he moved a few feet away and jumped into the pool, a splash of water sloshing over the sides. Rick and Kate chuckled to themselves as they settled into a hammcock that was strung between two trees.

Rick looked over the scene in front of him carefully. Ryan and Alexis were playing, what looked like, a childish game of tag in the pool. Lanie was across the yard, comforting Esposito's wounded pride. And then there was the angel settled against him.

His hand slid over her stomach, feeling a slight flutter underneath his fingertips, and he smirked. Even his son was enjoying their vacation. He was happier than he had been in years, and he couldn't imagine how his life could get any better.

"Lunch is ready." Esposito called, extending a plate of hamburgers and bratwurst. The gang scampered from where they were quickly, filling their plates and settling onto the patio furniture. They ate in silence for a few moments, the sound of their chewing the only thing that could be heard. It was Ryan that broke the silence first.

"The lines aren't parallel, you know..."


End file.
